The most detailed and complete (seerah) description of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the one given by Umm Ma`bad, as related to us in the hadith of Hubaysh b. Khalid.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emigrated (hijrah) from Mecca to Madinah, he passed by the tent of Umm Ma`bad. She witnessed some of the prophet's miracles, then swore fealty to him in Islam before he departed.
When Umm Ma`bad's husband came back, he was surprised to find a quantity of milk in the house.
He asked her: “Where you have got this from, O Umm Ma`bad, while our sheep is alone and untouched and we have no milk cow in our home?”
She said: “Nay, but by Allah, a blessed man passed by our way and did so and so.”
He said: “Describe him to me, O Umm Ma`bad.”
She said: “I saw a man who is handsome, of glowing countenance, and of good proportions, with neither a large stomach nor a small head. He is smart of appearance, with balanced features, deep black eyes, and long eyelashes. His voice is not coarse. He has a long neck, a full rounded beard, and thick eyebrows that meet each other. When he is silent, he is stately and composed, and when he speaks, his appearance is impressive.
“He is the most beautiful and striking man from a distance and the best and most beautiful from close up. He is well spoken, clear in what he says, saying neither too much nor too little, his words flowing forth like a perfect string of pearls.
“He is neither too tall nor overly short, a stately man in the company of two other stately men, and he is the most prominent among them and the most well-respected.
“He has companions who surround him. If he speaks, they listen to him, and if he commands, they hasten to fulfill his command. He is well served and attended, though he is neither stern nor argumentative.”
This hadith is related by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (3/9-10), al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir (3605), Abû Nu`aym in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (282-278), and al-Lalika’i in I`tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah (1434-1437).
There are other narrations that support this hadîth, like the one narrated by Jabir which is related by al-Bazzar (Kashf al-Astar: 1742) and the hadith of Abu Ma`bad al-Khuza`i, related by al-Bayhaqi as mentioned by Ibn Khathir in al-Sirah (2/258 and 262) and Ibn Sa`d in al-Tabaqat (1/230-233).
There is one more supporting narration mentioned by al-Bayhaqi in his Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (2/491).
By taking into consideration all of its chains of transmission, this hadîth can be graded as being a good hadîth.
When the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) emigrated (hijrah) from Mecca to Madinah, he passed by the tent of Umm Ma`bad. She witnessed some of the prophet's miracles, then swore fealty to him in Islam before he departed.
When Umm Ma`bad's husband came back, he was surprised to find a quantity of milk in the house.
He asked her: “Where you have got this from, O Umm Ma`bad, while our sheep is alone and untouched and we have no milk cow in our home?”
She said: “Nay, but by Allah, a blessed man passed by our way and did so and so.”
He said: “Describe him to me, O Umm Ma`bad.”
She said: “I saw a man who is handsome, of glowing countenance, and of good proportions, with neither a large stomach nor a small head. He is smart of appearance, with balanced features, deep black eyes, and long eyelashes. His voice is not coarse. He has a long neck, a full rounded beard, and thick eyebrows that meet each other. When he is silent, he is stately and composed, and when he speaks, his appearance is impressive.
“He is the most beautiful and striking man from a distance and the best and most beautiful from close up. He is well spoken, clear in what he says, saying neither too much nor too little, his words flowing forth like a perfect string of pearls.
“He is neither too tall nor overly short, a stately man in the company of two other stately men, and he is the most prominent among them and the most well-respected.
“He has companions who surround him. If he speaks, they listen to him, and if he commands, they hasten to fulfill his command. He is well served and attended, though he is neither stern nor argumentative.”
This hadith is related by al-Hakim in al-Mustadrak (3/9-10), al-Tabarani in al-Mu`jam al-Kabir (3605), Abû Nu`aym in Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (282-278), and al-Lalika’i in I`tiqad Ahl al-Sunnah (1434-1437).
There are other narrations that support this hadîth, like the one narrated by Jabir which is related by al-Bazzar (Kashf al-Astar: 1742) and the hadith of Abu Ma`bad al-Khuza`i, related by al-Bayhaqi as mentioned by Ibn Khathir in al-Sirah (2/258 and 262) and Ibn Sa`d in al-Tabaqat (1/230-233).
There is one more supporting narration mentioned by al-Bayhaqi in his Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (2/491).
By taking into consideration all of its chains of transmission, this hadîth can be graded as being a good hadîth.
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